Seattle to Vancouver....

EddieWouldKnow

Can anyone help me out.....how long will it take to drive including border delays etc.

Mapquest said 2 1/2 - 3 hours just driving time...is this accurate?

Is the border a big hassel....or do you just show your passport and drive thru?

Please give your info!

THANKS

Surf Life

EddieWouldKnow wrote:

Can anyone help me out.....how long will it take to drive including border delays etc.

Mapquest said 2 1/2 - 3 hours just driving time...is this accurate?

Is the border a big hassel....or do you just show your passport and drive thru?

Please give your info!

THANKS

It's pretty accurate, but it really depends on the time of day. Expect the longer time frame. Once you leave the Seattle sprawl, traffic will flow pretty good for most of the trip.

The border can be a big hassle, but April is a good time to go traffic levels will be pretty low, unlike during the summer. If you have your passport then they may just ask you a couple questions about your intentions for traveling to Canada and then wave you on through. Getting back into the US can actually take longer, they get very detailed sometimes and do more car checks.

restlesssoul

that time is very accurate....and depending on the day, (im assuming you would be driving over the border on the tuesday or wednesday) i dont think there would be much of a line up if you hit the border by 12 or 1, right in the middle of the day. you just say "going to vancouver for a concert" they might ask which one and blah blah blah......show a passport and you are away hopefully.

EddieWouldKnow

Thanks!!!

Im still hoping for a Seattle show on the 1st

So we would head north on the 2nd...so if we left Seattle around 1:00 we would be there in plenty of time!

Thanks again!!!

restlesssoul

EddieWouldKnow wrote:

Thanks!!!

Im still hoping for a Seattle show on the 1st

So we would head north on the 2nd...so if we left Seattle around 1:00 we would be there in plenty of time!

Thanks again!!!

i WOULD NOT leave seattle as late as 1 on the second, you never know what could happen with line ups and traffic coming into vancouver, trust me. leave earlier

EddieWouldKnow

restlesssoul wrote:

i WOULD NOT leave seattle as late as 1 on the second, you never know what could happen with line ups and traffic coming into vancouver, trust me. leave earlier

10am....11am...what time...tell me.....as if I wasnt jumpy enough right now (only about 20 min to go)

restlesssoul

anywhere between 10 and 11 am, including food stops and whatever you just want to be safe...then you can check in with ease and see the city....

haffajappa

i think the earlier you try to go thru the border is better...
i don't know if its cause i'm canadian but going into canada is always a breeze, going into the states is a pain in the ass.
infact i've never had to show my passport coming back! haha

joseppi

When I visited Vancouver a few years ago I took a bus down to Seattle to see a Mariners game (with the hidden agenda of bumping into a Pearl Jam member on the street) and it was about 3 hours or so, including the stop at the border. The bus I took was early (I think it left around 6am or so if I remember correctly), so I don't know if there are traffic patterns in the area to watch out for either. The ride back (around 7pm) seemed about the same length of time as well...

haffajappa

joseppi wrote:

When I visited Vancouver a few years ago I took a bus down to Seattle to see a Mariners game (with the hidden agenda of bumping into a Pearl Jam member on the street) and it was about 3 hours or so, including the stop at the border. The bus I took was early (I think it left around 6am or so if I remember correctly), so I don't know if there are traffic patterns in the area to watch out for either. The ride back (around 7pm) seemed about the same length of time as well...

ive taken the bus, it does seem generally longer but they go through the truck crossing and you dont have to wait in a long border line up like you do at the peace arch or in aldergrove...

EquallyWorthless

Surf Life wrote:

It's pretty accurate, but it really depends on the time of day. Expect the longer time frame. Once you leave the Seattle sprawl, traffic will flow pretty good for most of the trip.

The border can be a big hassle, but April is a good time to go traffic levels will be pretty low, unlike during the summer. If you have your passport then they may just ask you a couple questions about your intentions for traveling to Canada and then wave you on through. Getting back into the US can actually take longer, they get very detailed sometimes and do more car checks.

going into Canada is no prob, going into the USA can prove a lot harder

GR8Dane

EddieWouldKnow wrote:

Can anyone help me out.....how long will it take to drive including border delays etc.

Mapquest said 2 1/2 - 3 hours just driving time...is this accurate?

Is the border a big hassel....or do you just show your passport and drive thru?

Please give your info!

THANKS

plan on 4 to 5 hours..... The border can be really bad at times, and this might be on of those times.

StellaBlue

Hey - EddieWouldKnow -- I'm sending you a PM. We met up in Hawaii in 2006 (met in line and had seats next to each other, remember?). My husband and I live in the Seattle-ish area and are heading up to Vancouver - it would be great to meet up here or there or both!

sennin

I use the Blaine truck border crossing (SUMAS)....google it...most of the time it's 100% faster.

haffajappa

sennin wrote:

I use the Blaine truck border crossing (SUMAS)....google it...most of the time it's 100% faster.

yah sumas is fast.. its further from van but traffic usually isnt too bad on that stretch of highway from abbotsford to about surrey

Chrissident

The train may also be an option, I caught it in Seattle the morning after the Gorge show in 2005. It was kinda cool pulling out of the Gorge campground at 5 am. The trainride itself is neat because the tracks follow the shoreline in places as opposed to the freeway.

Anyway, if I remember, you have to go through a relatively painless customs process when you get to Canada. You fill out a form on the way. I got a ride back to the states last time so I can't speak to the return trip. Someone may be able to add to this.

prism

sennin wrote:

I use the Blaine truck border crossing (SUMAS)....google it...most of the time it's 100% faster.

the blaine truck crossing is NOT the same thing as the Sumas crossing. they're two different crossings miles apart

sennin

prism wrote:

the blaine truck crossing is NOT the same thing as the Sumas crossing. they're two different crossings miles apart

ahhh! good to know!

You'd think I'd know that, haha....I've only been across the boarder about 2033 times.

prism

sennin wrote:

ahhh! good to know!

You'd think I'd know that, haha....I've only been across the boarder about 2033 times.

well, I only know it because I've been across the border about 2034 times

sennin

prism wrote:

well, I only know it because I've been across the border about 2034 times

Well on my 2034 I'll know too! Awesome!

wolfbear

Chrissident wrote:

The train may also be an option, I caught it in Seattle the morning after the Gorge show in 2005. It was kinda cool pulling out of the Gorge campground at 5 am. The trainride itself is neat because the tracks follow the shoreline in places as opposed to the freeway.

Anyway, if I remember, you have to go through a relatively painless customs process when you get to Canada. You fill out a form on the way. I got a ride back to the states last time so I can't speak to the return trip. Someone may be able to add to this.

Amtrak is a great way to go! The tickets are cheap if you get them ahead of time online. It's a beautiful and relaxing trip and the customs is pretty painless. You have to stand in line when you get to Vancouver and show your paperwork, then coming back, it's all done on the train.